The Golden State Warriors already have a lot to consider given that their #2 overall selection from the 2020 NBA Draft James Wiseman is out for the remainder of the year. Ensuring that he’s healthy, alongside All-Star Klay Thompson, would justifiably be one of their top priorities going into the offseason.
However, their absolute top “priority” is making sure that their All-Star point guard and two-time MVP Steph Curry remains a member of the Warriors throughout the remainder of his career. While he still has one full season left on his deal, after speculation and rumors of Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James recruiting him, during this year’s All-Star weekend, the team will do everything they can to make sure he stays in the Bay Area.
Luckily for them, Curry seems to have a similar mindset right now.
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Curry Discusses Potentially Remaining With Warriors
If the NBA today has taught its fans anything it’s that anything can happen. A player could be with a franchise for his entire career and suddenly become a journeyman throughout the remainder of it in an instant.
It’s one of the many reasons players have become more vocal on deciding where they sign via free agency or where they are traded if they no longer gel with their team. The Warriors are in a situation where given Curry’s stature he means much more to them than they do him.
If he were to leave he would be taking the DNA of their championship culture with him. On the opposite side, Curry would be leaving a place where they have done everything they can to help remain competitive on the court.
However, Curry fully knows and understands what it means to be the guy who stayed with his original team throughout his entire career. It’s what helps separate the good players from the great ones and ensures they’re always remembered fondly.
Recently Curry spoke with Rachel Nichols on ESPN’s NBA show “The Jump” about what the remainder of his career may look like as a Warrior.
“It’s always been a priority,” Curry stated on the show. “When you look at guys like Dirk [Nowitzki], Kobe [Bryant], that I played against and I’ve heard them talk about what that’s meant, they don’t speak on it lightly. There’s a reverence for that club. You never know what could happen, obviously, but I’ve felt that’s always been something that would mean so much to me.
“And you want to stay competitive, you want to stay in that fight, where you’re winning championships, and if I can accomplish both, that’s the ultimate goal.”
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Warriors Front Office Understand What’s At Stake
Curry leaving would be a tremendous loss for Golden State. Prior to Curry’s arrival, the closest the organization had gotten to a championship level team had been back in 1975 when they beat the Washington Bullets.
Understanding the pressure at hand but also not wanting to force the issue, Warriors’ general manager Bob Myers previously spoke on how he tabled the conversation with Curry so he could just focus on basketball.
“It wasn’t anything that was difficult,” Myers said via NBC Sports. No hard conversation. It was just, ‘Hey, let’s talk about it at the end of the year.'”
While it’s expected for both parties to discuss an extension after this season concludes it doesn’t mean that they will become obvious to the noise and rumors that arise in the meantime. Myers spoke with The Athletic’s Tim Kawakami on “The TK Show” podcast about the rumors of James recruiting Curry and what he believes Steph is thinking.
“I mean, we’re never going to stop hearing this. It doesn’t matter if the guy signs an extension or not anymore,” Myers said on the show. “Whether it’s one of our guys or any guy, the drumbeat never stops. It’s what people want, the rumors of the NBA, especially because you have such high-profile players, it’s a little bit like they are celebrities and people can’t get enough of rumors and gossip. I think rumors like that or any rumors about a great player will always be there as long as the player is great. All we can do is make our place of work somewhere people can show up and feel like they can compete.
“I think Steph has felt like we have given him a really good chance in his career and time with us to succeed individually and team-wise and that’s what we are going to keep trying to do. So I don’t really — you talk about my own sanity, I don’t really give those things much credence or else I would have to get out of the business. Because that’s today’s rumor. They’ll be another one tomorrow and the next day. I would say I think Steph is happy and I think he’s in a good place and I think things are going to be fine with him.”
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